Paths
by Stella Stargaze
Summary: Do you know about that little voice in your head. No not your conscience or the voice that means your insane. I'm talking about the part of you that shows you the paths you can take. I heard it when I was pretty young. My choices led me to either be safe or be a protector. (Sonic Boom hype story)
1. Path seeker

**Hey guys! I watched a new trailer for Sonic Boom and got super hype so by the time my squealing was done I had to write. Enjoy!**

Ya know, I've had it pretty tough. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my life for anything. I'm just saying, not everything I do is the easiest thing in the world.

Sure I have to fight deadly robots all the time, but really that's kind of fun. Especially with all my friends. But that's not exactly what I'm talking about.

Most people know I'm a bit of a loner. I love my friends and everything but well… let's just start from a few years back shall we.

When I say a few years back, I mean to the point where I was about ten. Yeah, that's quite a bit back. But hey, my stories a long one. So you might as well sit back and enjoy it.

It started off as a normal day. My parents were in the living room planning one of their trips. My mom and dad where archeologists. They loved exploring new lands and discovering new things. Guess it runs in the family.

Although I do get different parts.

My mom loved the scenery of wherever they. She really got excited when they found a new item or unlocked a buried secret. So I get my love for exploring and discovery from her.

My dad just loved the thrills. Don't get me wrong he enjoyed finding new things just as much as Mom, but what really made him feel alive was the action. He loved outwitting any death trap or fight. I got my (as my friends put it) recklessness from my dad.

At this point though, I had no clue. They had never taken me on one yet. They had said I was too young.

But they had promised that after this trip, I would get to go with them. So, of course, I was super hyped.

"You be a good boy for your uncle, alright pal?" my father had asked before they left.

I nodded vigorously, "Yeah!"

He picked me up and I started playing with the handkerchief around his neck playfully. I might have been acting a little young for my age but I didn't have too many kids to play with.

"You know what kiddo," he put me back down and reached behind his neck to untie the brown piece of fabric, "Why don't you hang onto this for me?" he tied it around my neck.

It was really loose at the time and went half way down my chest. And it made me smile from ear to ear. I embraced him in a death grip hug, thanking him probably a thousand times over.

My mother laughed while she was watching the whole exchange. "Try not to break anything this time." She didn't say it scornfully or anything. If anything she said it with humor.

It had sort of turned into a joke. Of course at first she had been really mad, but as time went on and the broken items started losing value she started to calm down. What turned it into a joke was when I broke a tree. Yep. A tree. First time creating a sonic boom. Nuff said.

I giggled at her and hugged her too. "I'll try."

After they left I spent some time playing with my Uncle Chuck. He was always the one who watched me when my parents left. But I never minded. He always knew how to make me laugh and I always had fun with him.

Eventually though, I did start to ware down. No matter how hard I tried to keep them open my eyes started to close.

But I didn't have a peaceful sleep. I don't remember everything but I do remember parts. Parts of my nightmare.

There were small red snakes with one green eye. They were popping out of the ground and one even breaking a boulder. I thought I heard a girly scream of "Snakes" that then tried to take a manly tone, but that could just be mixing up details.

Another part showed a weird, giant worm like thing that had pinchers positioned around its mouth, lunging at me. I could have sworn there were three shadows next to me, but I couldn't tell much about them.

The last thing I remember is my parents being lost. I heard them calling people's names as they walked through a jungle. Their clothes were ripped up and they had lots of different bruises and scratches.

That's about when I woke up. I didn't scream. I never screamed when I had nightmares. It might just be that I didn't want to wake anyone up. I don't really know. But I heard Uncle Chuck talking nearby.

Slowly I got out of my bed and followed his voice. When I found him, talking on the phone, I hide in the doorway and listened.

"They haven't come back? Have you sent out a search party? To dangerous? What the heck happened?" then he grew silent. "I- I see. Just call me if you find anything ok? Thank you. Goodnight."

He sat down on the couch nearby and put his head in his hands. "How am I going to explain this to him?"

I was pretty sure I already knew. That dream hadn't been a nightmare. It had been a warning.

I dashed out of there back to my room, leaving behind a considerable mess thanks to the path of wind that followed. And alerting my uncle that I had been there.

He found me curled in bed, the handkerchief that Dad had given me pulled over my face to try and hide my crying. The shakes of my shoulders probably gave me away though.

"You okay there?" I felt him sit down on my bed, but didn't pull the handkerchief down from my eyes. I just shook my head. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong."

I hadn't heard the other line of the conversation. How was I supposed to know what happened?

Well I did, "Mom and Dad are missing!" I snapped.

I couldn't see him with the fabric covering my eyes, but he could guess that he had been pretty surprised, "How- how did you?"

"I had a dream that they were lost and now the people who went with them can't find them." I spouted, though I'm surprised even to this day that he understood me through all the sobs.

He pulled me closer to him to let me cry into his chest, "A dream, huh?" I didn't reply. I just kept crying. "You dreamed they were lost?" this time I nodded, "Well then, they'll be found."

My sobs slowed and I lowered the handkerchief enough to look at him. He seemed completely confident in the fact. So I decided I would too.

Eventually he did leave, probably so he could call more people or something and I went back to sleep. I tossed and turned plenty, but I didn't have any nightmares.

An entire week drifted by and we didn't hear a thing about them. I could clearly see that Uncle Chuck was really starting to worry, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

I had started running through the forest around our house to distract myself. It did help. It even cleared my head some. Even today I do it when I'm getting stressed out.

One night though, near the end of the week, I had another nightmare. I know what you're thinking, "Oh, he must have dreamed about his parents dying! How sad!"

Well, that's not it.

What I dreamed was completely different. It started out in some white foggy place. For a while I just walked through there. Looking around, trying to find something different. And I did.

I just couldn't see it, "So you are here."

"W-who?"

"Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm part of you."

"Part of- me?"

I continuously looked around to find the source of the voice.

"Yes. You're very young to be going through this."

"If your part of me then aren't you just as young?" I asked. Even back then sarcasm was my first resort.

The 'part of me' laughed, "Indeed. But I am slightly more mature. Probably not by much though."

"How?"

"I am sort of like a conscious."

"That thing that tells you wrong from right?"

"Yes. But that's not exactly how I work."

"Huh?"

"Let's just say I show you multiple paths for you to choose. I do not tell you which is wrong or right I simply show you the way you wish to go."

"Then-" by now I was starting to freak out a little, "Then what paths are you going to show me."

"The first is the safe path. It is a simple one. You need nothing to do for this one."

"And- the second?"

"This is a more complicated path. It takes you away from all that you know to find new things. It is a path that lets you protect what will matter most to you."

At his words something appeared in the fog in front of me. Or someone.

They seemed to be a hedgehog. A tall one too. I could make out some details but not many. Even through the fog I could see bright emerald eyes staring back at me. The stranger had sports tape wrapped around his wrists and ankles and there was something around his neck.

"Good luck. Sonic."

**I could end here... but I had nothing better to do. TO PART 2!**


	2. The path leads me

"Sonic?"

"Huh?"

My best bud Tails stood in the doorway. "You okay there?"

"Yeah just zoned out for a bit."

"Alright then. Everyone's waiting outside for ya."

"Cool. Tell em' I'll be a minute."

With a nod he disappeared back outside to the rest of our group.

So it's kind of obvious what path I took. And so far, I feel that it's the right one.

I've of course told my friends about what happen. (Though with a considerable amount of motivation from Amy and her mallet) Lucky for me they don't seemed bothered much by it. They barely even mention it. Which I'm very grateful for.

They told me they had I surprise for me. And as you would be guessing that was where I was heading.

I skidded to a stop right in front of the three, "Never fear, Sonic is here."

"That's when we should start fearing." Knuckles muttered jokingly.

I punched him in the arm but didn't say anything else. "So where we headin'?"

"That's the surprise." My vision was blocked as the speaker covered my eyes with her hands.

"Alright Amy, but don't let me run into anything."

"I'll give you five bucks if you run him into a tree."

I swung out toward the knucklehead's voice, but only hit the air around him.

"Come on." I heard Tails say before I was being pulled along by the arm.

"I'm comin'! I'm comin'!" I laughed.

About forty minutes (And five bucks) later, they stopped. "About time. Where are we?"

"Shhh." The hands covering my eyes moved down to my mouth.

When my eyes adjusted to the light around me, I looked back to glare at the pick hedgehog. "You gonna be quiet now?" I nodded and the hands were removed.

"Alright," I whispered, "Where are we?" I looked around at the forest surrounding us and back to my friends who were giggling. "What?"

Tails simply pointed toward a bush next to us and continued smiling.

Still very confused, I walked to the bush and started pushing through the leaves. What was so funny?

Oh you have got to be… I glared back at my friends who were practically rolling on the ground in silent laughter.

In front of me was a small cabin with teal curtains covering the windows. There was a large clear area in front of the house big enough for a child to run and play.

It had changed over the years but he still recognized it. It was my old home. Somehow they had found my new house. So much for them not bringing it up again.

"How-"

"Don't worry about it," Tails interrupted, "Go."

"Wait a minute!" he pushed me out into the open.

I whirled around back to them to see them all smiling. I sighed. I had missed my family a lot, and it must have been showing when I told them about it.

I took a deep breath and turned back to the house. The few yards to the door felt like miles to me. That wouldn't be so bad if I was running, but I was walking. And not too quickly either.

I heard someone whisper, "Aren't you the fastest thing alive? Come on man."

I ignored it though I did hear a soft thump and a cry of pain.

When I finally made it to the door I hesitated. Really, I think I have every right to. I had left them one day with no note or anything. If it was 'them'. I still didn't know if my parents had been found.

I closed my eyes to steady my nerves and lifted my hand to knock. Lifted. I didn't get any farther before the door opened to reveal a very surprised Uncle Chuck.

We stared at each other for a few moments before Chuck broke the silence, "Soni?"

I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly, "Hey there Unc."

"It is you!" he pulled me into a hug that I was glad to take. Heck, I was close to tears. "Where have you been?"

That question made a lump of guilt form in my stomach. I reluctantly pulled away from my uncle to look him in the eyes. "It's a long story."

"Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one who would like to hear it." He didn't sound mad or anything. He was completely open; like he knew that I had a good reason.

Wait a minute, "Not the only-? Do you mean…?"

"Chuck? What's going on?"

Is that?

My father! He came from the room next door and froze when he saw me. Soon followed my mom.

At this point I lost control of the flood that was forming in my eyes. "Mom? Dad?"

"Sonic!" my mother ran forward and embraced me in a hug that could probably beat some of the bots I went against. "It's you."

"Yeah," I managed through the tears, "It's me."

Dad came up to us and put a hand on my shoulder. He looked at me through watery eyes, "I see you kept it."

My mom moved back as I reached up to the brown piece of fabric tied around my neck, "Wouldn't part with it for the world."

"But," Mom wiped her tears as she shakily spoke, "W-where have- have you been."

"Everywhere."

They stared at me for a moment, not sure how to take what I had just said.

"Everywhere?" Uncle Chuck questioned.

I nodded. "You wouldn't believe all that I've done."

"Try." My father persuaded.

"Alright, but I might need some help," I turned back to the forest, "Hey guys! Get over here." A heard a surprised yelp and laughed, "You didn't think you were going to get out of this scot free did ya'?"

Tails was the first to come out, "Maybe."

Amy and Knuckles followed and they all walked over together.

"These are my friends." I told my family as they came behind me, "This is my best bud Tails," said fox shyly waved next to me, "This is Amy," she cheerfully waved, "And this is Knucklehead."

"Knuckles," the echidna corrected annoyed.

I just snickered and turned to my family, "They've been with me through thick and thin."

"Yeah. It's a wonder we're still here."

I elbowed Knuckles playfully while he chuckled.

"Well, it definitely seems like your close," Mom speculated, giggling.

I nodded while hooking my arm around Tails's neck.

"Then why don't you all come in and we can hear this story of yours"

In the end, I know I took the right path. Not only do I have all my friends and adventures I've made on the way; but now, I have my family again.

**Hope you enjoyed! R&R please! See ya in the next story! :D **


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